How To Help My Dog Lose Weight: The Ultimate Healthy Diet Guide
How To Help My Dog Lose Weight: The Ultimate Healthy Diet Guide
Have you noticed your dog is looking on the heavy side lately? Wondering 'how to help my dog lose weight' - but want to make sure you're doing it the healthy way? Well, you're in the right place.
You'll first need to work out if your dog is, indeed, overweight. It's surprisingly common: the PDSA estimates around half of UK dogs are obese. If they are, then you need to put your pooch on a proper diet and help them get more exercise to help them on their weight loss journey.
In this Barking Heads guide, we'll show you how to spot if your dog needs to watch their waistline, how you can put your dog on a diet while still feeding them tasty, nutritious food, and how to make sure your dog's weight loss plan is healthy and realistic - for your furry friend, and for your busy schedule.
How to tell if your dog needs to lose weight
It can be difficult to identify whether your dog is overweight as there is no "one size fits all" ideal body-weight formula to follow. Every dog is different - and there are many factors that will influence your dog’s weight such as activeness, age, gender and genetics.
Weight gain can sneak up on you, so it can be challenging to spot. If you are struggling to tell if your dog is overweight, it might be worth asking someone who doesn't see your dog every day. Ask your family and friends – or your vet! Alternatively, you can also look back on photos of your pet to determine if there’s been a change in your dog’s weight.
However, there are some good general indicators that you can look for yourself. Look at the signs of excess weight in dogs below, and ask yourself if you've seen any.
Signs your dog may be overweight:
- They seem tired or lethargic. Is your dog being less active or sleeping more? Sleeping isn't always a bad sign - read our article 'why is my dog sleeping so much' to discover why - but combined with other factors it could indicate that something's up.
- Lost interest in activities. Is your dog more reluctant to go on walks? Are they less playful than usual?
- They're struggling when active. Does your dog have difficulty walking? Do they need help to get up larger steps? Are they panting more than before, or getting out of breath easily?
- More weight on your dog's ribs. Are you struggling to feel your pet’s ribs if you run your hands on their sides?
- More weight on your dog's waist. From above, does your dog not have a clear waistline? From the side, does it seem like their tummy is beginning to droop?
- More weight on their face or neck. Does your dog have a bigger, rounder face? Do they have a thick and fatty neck?
If your answer to the above is mostly ‘yes’, this is a good indicator that your dog may need to lose weight.
Another factor at play is also your dog's breed. Research from the Royal Veterinary College indicates that the breeds most likely to be overweight are Pugs, Beagles, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Spaniels and Border Terriers. So, if your dog is one of these breeds, you should be extra mindful to prevent them gaining extra weight.
To help you further, here's a rough visual guide to assessing your dog's body condition score.
What to do if your dog needs to lose weight
If you think your dog may be carrying too much fat, it's important to spot the drivers and support your dog. It's perfectly possible to promote weight loss in a healthy and supportive way. Dr Scott, our Barking Heads vet has provided expert insight on the topic, to clarify how to help your dog lose a few pounds by focusing on exercise and nutrition – including his recommendation for the best weight loss food to choose for your pooch.
Here's what he advises:
1. Create a dog weight loss plan
To help your dog trim their waistline - or prevent them from gaining weight unhealthily - avoid crash diets at all costs. “Much like people, excessive calorie restriction doesn't do any good: it places the body under stress and leads to bad behaviours" Explains Dr Scott. "For humans, that means caving in and snacking. For dogs, that can mean eating something they shouldn't."
It is essential to adjust your dog's calorie intake strategically. This includes understanding proper feeding guidelines and ensuring that the type of food they consume supports weight loss and overall health.
"A dog weight loss plan will help you gradually adjust to a new, healthier routine. It will also help the whole family understand their part to play" says Dr Scott.
Create a personalised plan for them. Like humans, all dogs are different and will need varying amounts of exercise and food to achieve a healthy weight and feel absolutely paw-sitive in their bodies. “A successful weight loss plan will factor in your lifestyle, allowing you to schedule your dog's exercise around your commitments such as work. This will make it easier to stick to and more sustainable".
2. Feed your dog the correct amount of food
With 72% of pet owners admitting to giving their pets that little bit extra, it is crucial to calculate how much we should be feeding our pets each day. All our product pages have a handy ‘feeding calculator’ to take the hassle out of feeding time and tell you how much to feed your dog - just scroll down to use the calculator for every dog food product!
Dr Scott also advises taking time to weigh food. "Weighing out your dog’s food before each meal will ensure they get exactly what they need to be healthy. This extra step can be time-consuming but is worth it".
"If you've been overfeeding your dog, suddenly changing the amount of food in their bowl can come as a shock" he adds. A good tip is to add the correct weight of food to the bowl, then bulk out the meal with a healthy low-calorie ingredient like raw carrots or cucumber cut into chunks. “This is great for their teeth, too."
"Your food bowl won't look so bare - and you can transition gradually over time."
3. Try a low-fat diet
Like humans, to lose weight, dogs often need a meal plan that’s lower in fat. However, "great dog food for dogs who are losing inches is more than about how many calories it contains" notes Dr Scott. "It has to be nutritionally balanced, too."
Luckily, there are healthy dog foods targeted to help your dog lose weight such as our Fat Dog Slim (Low Fat) Dog Food range, which has a selection of wet and dry dog food and has all the nutrients your pooch needs for a complete, healthy and balanced diet. It's packed with freshly prepared ingredients and natural goodness.
Transitioning your dog to a new type of dog food can be challenging, but you can make the process smoother by following these general guidelines:
- Day 1: 75% old food, 25% new food
- Day 2: 50% old food, 50% new food
- Day 3: 25% old food, 75% new food
- Day 4: 100% new food.
Depending on the age of your dog, they might require specific diets - for example, senior dogs require more protein and joint support in their diet. You can read more about mature dogs' diets here.
4. Treats count - so count the treats!
"Even if you're hawk-eyed at mealtimes, feeding your dog too many treats throughout the day adds up" says Dr Scott. High calorie treats between meals still count towards your dog's daily intake, so be mindful.
"Typically, most dogs get the same enjoyment from small treats as they do from big ones" Dr Scott advises.
You can also substitute your pup's normal treats for low-fat, or low-calorie substitutes. Raw carrots, courgette, cucumber, broccoli and cooked sweet potato chunks are great options.
The other bad habit to watch out for is feeding your dog table scraps. “Human food with carbs and cooked meat is usually too fatty and salty for many dogs, so giving treats from your leftovers is often a bad idea" says Dr Scott. "Your dog shouldn't be eating pizza crusts for dog treats!"
5. Give your dog plenty of good walks
"Your dog’s weight loss journey shouldn't just consist of a balanced diet" advises Dr Scot. "It's vital that you also include plenty of opportunity for exercise."
You need to factor in enough walks, and you also need to give your dog the right kind of walks. Walking for weight loss is a little different to walking for pleasure. It's therefore important to consider:
- Pace: You need to walk fast enough to raise your dog's heart rate for long enough - known as sustained aerobic activity - to aid weight loss. Most people walk their dogs at a slow stroll, which won't help. A brisk walk is much better.
- Length: Aim for 30 minutes at this faster pace, followed by 10 minutes at a slower pace.
- Frequency: Five walks per week should be your starting point if you have an inactive pup. Aim for five 30+ minute walks for the first month of your dog's fitness plan. If your pup has a lot of weight to lose, aim to walk your dog twice a day after the first month, for at least 20 minutes. Your dog should get at least one walk every single day, but two walks is much better for their health.
When you take your dog for their brisk walk, make sure you bring water along, or have a bowl of water ready for when you stop. "If it's a hot day, aim to walk your dog in the evening when it's a little cooler" advises Dr Scott. "And if your dog starts panting heavily or lies down, let them rest. It can take a little time for them to get used to the new activity."
If you are not sure where to start, aim to walk at four miles an hour. Use an app on your phone to plot a two-mile walk, then time yourself to walk it in 30 minutes.
"If you have elderly pets, you need to factor exhaustion into consideration" says Dr Scott. “They'll need less exercise than more active dogs."
6. Find extra ways to exercise
If longer daily walks are not realistic for your routine, there are still ways to increase the amount of exercise your dog gets - it just requires some creativity! Here are a few ideas to take inspiration from:
- Interactive Toys: Using puzzle toys or treat-dispensing toys will encourage your dog to move around to get the reward. Just ensure you use healthy dog treats!
- Tug-of-war: Playing tug-of-war with your dog will help build strength and burn energy.
- Obstacle courses: if you have a garden, set up an obstacle course using things in your home, like cardboard boxes and hula hoops.
- Fetch: Playing fetch will help your dog burn fat and is an easy way to increase exercise on small walks.
- Dog-Friendly Fitness Classes: If bad weather is impacting how often you are walking your dog, look up local events designed for dogs that are often hosted inside.
- Asking a friend, using a dog walker or dog-sitting app: If you can't be home enough to help your dog lose weight, you may need more people to help you. Ask friends and family or use a service like a dog walker or someone on an accredited app to help exercise your dog.
"Watching your dog's food is only part of the picture" says Dr Scott. "You need to find a way to prioritise all their needs. That includes keeping active."
7. Monitor your dog's weight and size
By regularly monitoring your dog's weight and size, you can effectively track their progress and determine if they're losing weight.
"I recommend weighing your dog weekly to ensure accurate and consistent monitoring of their weight" says Dr Scott. If you have a small dog, you do this by weighing yourself on your bathroom scale, and then again when holding your dog - and then working out the difference.
Alternatively, you can take your dog to the vet to be weighed. "This is the best option for obese dogs" says Dr Scott. "Your vet will be able to give personalised feeding guidelines, advise on the best step to take to reach your dog's ideal weight, accurately assess the impact of your new diet, and even spot if there's an underlying medical condition."
It's not always possible to get to the vet this frequently, but keeping a food diary between visits helps.
Dog weight gain: a widespread health concern
Paw-besity is a global concern, but where in the world are overweight dogs most prominent? We analysed search data across the globe to find out where obesity in dogs is most prevalent. The U.S. topped the list with over 200,000 searches for terms including ‘fat dog’ and ‘dog diet’.
In 2022, 59% of dogs in the U.S. were classified as obese. A study by Veterinarians.org further identified Pennsylvania as the state with the most overweight dogs, where dogs carry an average of over 18 excess pounds.
How does obesity affect dogs?
Over 60% of vets say obesity is the biggest health and welfare concern for UK pets. Furthermore, research from Liverpool University indicates that overweight dogs are more likely to have shorter lives. Maintaining a healthy weight is therefore crucial for a dog's health and well-being - and their life expectancy.
Having a tubby dog also increases the risk of them developing the following health conditions:
What are the health effects of obesity in dogs?
When your dog is obese, the risk of developing numerous health problems increases, all of which are associated with shorter lifespans, such as:
- Heart Disease- Obesity can place strain on the heart and circulatory systems which can lead to heart conditions such as congestive heart failure.
- High Blood Pressure- Obesity is a common cause of high blood pressure which can lead to problems in the kidney, heart and eyes.
- Kidney Disease- Obesity leads to high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic inflammation which all damage the kidney over time.
- Respiratory Issues- Fat can build up around the airways and in the chest which makes breathing more difficult.
- Arthritis and Joint Problems- Having extra weight means added pressure and strain on your dog's joints, which can lead to ligament rupture and arthritis.
While the extra weight is only one factor why your pet could develop a medical condition, prevention is the best cure so ensuring that your dog maintains a healthy weight will improve their quality of life.
Does being overweight affect dogs’ mental health?
Unfortunately, studies have shown that yes, there is a link between being overweight and unhappiness in dogs. Overweight pets can experience increased levels of fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS). To ensure that those extra pounds don't negatively impact your dog's health and emotions, it is essential that you help them maintain a healthy dog weight.
A sad fact is many owners feed treats and large portions to their dogs to make them happy. However, points out Dog behaviourist Adem Fehmi, "obesity can affect a dog’s energy levels and also physical capabilities, which in turn can affect how much exercise they are able to physically undertake."
"Just like in humans, a lack of exercise and mental stimulation can contribute to low mood and may also exasperate behaviour conditions" he adds.
"In addition, physical conditions such as arthritis can be aggravated further by your pet being overweight. This can cause your dog additional pain and discomfort, which can affect their mood overall and even, in some cases, cause a dog to be reactive and/or aggressive."
You might think that cutting out the treats will make your dog sad, but the saddest dogs are too overweight to do activities that they really love - like playing and going on walks. Keep them healthy and they'll be far happier in the long run.
FAQs
What causes a dog to be overweight?
The main causes of pet obesity are overeating and lack of exercise. However, some diseases can cause your dog to gain weight, so it is important to consult your vet if you are concerned.
How long does it take for dogs to lose weight?
This varies from dog to dog. If your dog has more weight to lose, it'll take them longer to reach their ideal weight. Other factors include how quickly your dog accepts their new diet, and how much exercise they get.
The Kennel Club suggest a general guideline goal for your dog to lose 1-2% of its body weight each week.
Do dogs get thinner as they get older?
Most dogs tend to gain weight as they age because they use less energy daily. If your dog is losing weight at a mature age, this could be a sign of poor digestion or illness, so it is best to consult your vet.
What is the best diet to put a dog on?
While your dog's diet should be personalised to their individual needs, most dogs benefit from increased exercise and a diet that is lower in fat and calories. We recommend our Fat Dog Slim (Low Fat) range for dogs who are watching their figures.
Is a 30-minute walk a day enough for a dog?
A 30-minute walk is a great starting point; however, it is crucial to remember that the amount of exercise your dog should receive depends on factors such as size, breed and age. And you need to go at a fast enough pace to help your dog lose weight.
Is free feeding bad for overweight dogs?
Free feeding is a bad idea for most dogs, but especially overweight ones. Having constant access to food leads to overeating and makes it much harder to monitor how much your dog is eating.
What if only one of my dogs is overweight?
If you have two or more dogs and only one of them is overweight, there's a chance that one dog is eating someone else's food. Feed them in separate areas and wait until everyone has finished eating before you take your eyes off them. This will prevent one dog eating another's uneaten food.
Can worms make a dog gain weight?
No. Parasites can sometimes cause a "potbelly' appearance due to fluid build-up, but worms generally cause dogs to lose weight. If you suspect your dog has worms, call your vet.
